Show Your Work
by StormyWeatherBringsUsTogether
Summary: Chise is in the midst of her first Final's week and while she hopes that she can do well, some reassurance can never hurt right?


This started out as a little rambling inspired by a cute tumblr post but ended up being something cathartic during my own finals week. Either way forgive me for not being very present lately.

The Ancient Magus Bride belongs to Kore Yamazaki

* * *

Of her reasons for attending the college what had thus far borne the most apparent fruit was Chise's desire to experience the normal life of a girl her age. Well, as normal as life could be in an underground secret facility of Alchemist, Inhumans and talking cats. And she was currently facing down perhaps the greatest equalizer of all academia: Finals.

The gauntlet thus far had been fierce. Latin and economics had left many victims in its wake at the start of the week, herself only just managing to scrape by. She was given one day of sanctuary before having to return to battle for Magical Theory earlier that evening. The final trial awaited her in the morning.

It was Thursday night while she ate dinner that evening. Although she had given a convincing performance of appearing unaffected, her current motions of dinner where all a front to appease the Silver One's rath. If given the choice she would have holed herself off to study until the late hours of the night, her tummy too restless to allow food, but the entire manor had made their displeasure with the said course of action well known. She was forced into self-preservation whether she liked it or not.

At that thought she huffed a small grin around her soup, a sound quickly picked up on from her worry wort mage across the table. He eyed her curiously as he often did when a matter of human interaction was just out of his understanding. Fragrant orange soup silenced the action as it slid past her lips and down her throat. Chise did not wish to belittle Elias' questions, but her energy would be needed elsewhere in the coming hours.

Her spoon clinked gently on her napkin. "Thank you for dinner Silver." Chise praised as she tidied her mouth with a napkin. "I'm going to get ready for bed."

The curiosity Chise had hoped to distract in Elias' eyes, instead bloomed and refocused. His head swiveled to the clock, confirmed his suspicions, and returned to her. "It's awful early for bed, is something wrong?"

"Nothings wrong!" She answered a bit too eagerly for her liking, "I'll just be leaving for class early tomorrow." Chise said across the dinner table.

Taken aback Elias placed his teacup on its saucer, focusing his complete attention on Her. "Why is that? I had thought your exam didn't begin until 10:30?"

Chise sighed, "it does but I want to get a few good study hours in beforehand."

"There is no need to strain yourself." He urged gently. "You've studied plenty and you've done well in chemistry thus far."

"I know, I know" She sighed knowing on some instinctual level that he was right and she was being silly, "but I'm teetering right at 90 percent. I don't want to make a mistake and fall to a B." She stood to avoid further questions and quickly placed her plates in the sink. She shouted goodnight over her shoulder and hurried up the stairs.

"_Are you sure you're alright?_" Ruth echoed in her mind. His desire to ensure his master was not straining herself permeated his mental presence, nestled alongside his desire to finish her uneaten carrot stew. "_I am_," she assured uncertain if he had been convinced. But feeling the odd sensation of carrots and ginger intermingling among her senses as she brushed her teeth, Chise chose to believe Ruth had found some peace with the decision.

As she opened the door to the bedroom she blinked in surprise. At the bed's edge stood Elias buttoning up his nightshirt. "What are you doing?" She asked dumbfounded.

"Preparing for bed." He answered still absorbed in the task at hand.

"How come?" Chise rose an eyebrow, Elias rarely went to bed past midnight.

"So I can come with you tomorrow."

"Oh," she rose her hands defensively, "You don't need to do that, didn't you already present your final today? You should enjoy the day off."

The last button slipped through its hole underneath the shirt collar. "Now how could I do that if you weren't here?" He said missing the bloom across Chise's face. "Besides, you can study in my quarters. It's more comfortable than the student lounge. And fewer distractions I'd suppose." He finally turned, fully acknowledging her presence in the room. "Unless you don't want to, of course."

Guiltily, her eyes searched the room aimlessly. "No, it's not that I just...planned on leaving very early, before sunrise…" Chise's words were swallowed down her throat as Elias crossed the room taking her cheek in hand.

"I can deal with an early morning if it means ensuring your safe arrival." He nuzzled her temple affectionately.

"Well...ok," She relented. "...but don't feel like you have to."

—

A musical tune that would have been pleasant under any other circumstance jostled Chise out of her warm sanctuary of sleep and blankets. She snapped her eyes open quick to grab her phone off the nightstand and silence the alarm. Breathing deeply she forced herself to sit upright in darkness untouched by sunlight. Beside her lay Elias' still comatose form, his back rising and falling to the rhythm of a gentle rumble. She knew what he said last night but still couldn't bring herself to break him out of his slumber needlessly.

Slowly she pulled back the comforter and lower herself lightly to stand. The bed creaked as her weight left the bed and she froze. Elias' breathing hitched dissolving into a grumble. Chise stood still hoping he would fall back asleep, to no avail. Elias rose to his elbows yawning loudly. "G' morning, Chi...se. Give me a couple...minutes I'll get dressed."

A tight line formed on Chise's lips. "Elias...really, you don't have to.."

"I know but I…" He yawned again shaking his head as he stood, "want to."

All further attempts at protest met similar counters until Ruth glaring up from his restful spot in Chise's lamplit shadow finally silenced her.

Groggily they got dressed and downed the tea and toast Silver had set out for them. Soon they were off through the countryside, through the phone box short cut and walking into the college. The artificial sun that rarely reflected an accurate time of day burned their eyes as they made their way to the professors' quarters where Elias' private room resided.

Chise had to admit that Elias was right that his room was more comfortable and quiet than the study rooms. Despite the early hour, they had already come across a handful of sleep-deprived students chattering and cramming in the halls. There was still one distinct problem though, the only surface suitable for Chise to study on was Elias' desk, where he had already sat down.

"Um, Elias may I…"

He patted his knee in invitation. Not what she meant but she didn't have any objections. She sat down on his lap where he immediately wrapped his arms around her waist in what was now familiar affection. She located her textbook from her bag placing it open on the desk. She went over the practice problems, an anxious jitter set in her knee and fingers.

"You are tense," Elias stated causing Chise to jump. "You have studied well," His hands caressed her belly fondly, "You have nothing to worry about."

Chise sighed, "I know, it's just...I can't help but worry about it. Even though I know I'm prepared and I've done well before." The words Elias and others had told her in earnest attempts at comfort found their way onto her tongue. She wasn't upset that they had tried to assure her, quite the opposite. But she felt shameful that despite her efforts the words had reached her brain and not her heart. "I suppose I'm just scared that I won't be able to do well again. That my success so far has been a coincidence. I have a hard time believing I can do it."

The gentle rumbling that often signified that Elias was carefully weighing his words vibrated against her. "Students far less driven and talented than you have succeeded before you. I should know a handful have taken my course." Chise snickered despite herself. "Besides," He angled his skull onto her shoulder, meeting her eyes sidelong, "even if you fail, the exam does not determine your worth. Neither as a student nor a person."

Chise's hand stilled at his words.

"That said, you know the material better than you think, just review and…" His words were cut off by a snore as his head slumped against her shoulder. The lights of his eyes snuffed out like birthday candles. Chise snorted. "Thank you, Elias." She cupped his cheek, nuzzling affectionately before she returned to her practice problems. The clock ticking was much less foreboding while surrounded by the comforting weight of her husband embracing her punctuated by his steady breath.

—

Come 10:30 Chise was standing outside the chemistry classroom. Her fingers still fretted nervously, but her feet felt grounded and firm. She looked down the hall where Elias and Ruth stood. Ruth flashed a thumbs up, although he still appeared somewhat grumpy that familiars were not allowed in the testing area. Elias waved as his eyes curved in a smile. Chise waved back before a creak broke the silence in the hall. The door opened and students poured into their desks reading the board instructions briefly before diving into their papers.

Chise read the first question and smiled to herself. He was right, she did know the material better than she thought.


End file.
